Personal heating system



July 30, 1957 M. P. REHORN PERSONAL HEATING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2, 1953 INVENTOR.

July 30, 1957 M. P. REHORN 2,800,891

PERSONAL HEATING SYSTEM Filed March 2, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

Unite This invention pertains generally to heating systems, and in particular to a heating system which may be worn or carried on the person.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a convenient, practical and inexpensive means of keeping a person warm in sub-zero weather while he is engaged in outdoor activity or sleeping out of doors.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unique, convenient and practical means of igniting or starting such a heating system, and a means of regulating the heat as the temperature rises or falls or as the individual becomes more or less active.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a heating system as that defined above which will operate under water without damage to the system.

Other objects of the invention will be evident in the disclosures of the following specifications.

Referring to the figures of the accompanying drawtugs:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of one form of the invention which incorporates the use of a fuel tank or pouch, a continuous wick, and occasional burners, all of which together operate according to the principles of the invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 show details of the form of the invention depicted in Fig. 1.

There is a well-known principle of physics and chemistry which the present invention makes use of: When vapor from gasoline, alcohol or other similar vaporizing fuel is caused to pass from a container through an opening, thence through a deposit of platinum asbestos, carbon, pumice stone or other platinumized material, the platinumized material combined with the said vapor is capable of being made to glow and give off heat until all of the fuel has been used up. Heat is generated by catalysis. The amount of heat may be lessened bydecreasing the amount of air reaching the burners or increased by increasing the flow of air.

Referring to Fig. 1, a fuel tank or pouch 1 contains a liquid evaporating fuel 2. Beginning inside the fuel tank (at the bottom) or pouch is a wick 3 which passes through a fuel tight hole 1' in the top of the tank 1, and is extended to any desired length. The tank or pouch 1 may be worn on the back, shoulder, side, or chest of the person. The wick 3 is contained within a tube or casing 8 of flexible material, except in and near the burners. Said material must be fuel-proof, water-proof and air-tight. A heavy flexible plastic such as that of which plastic clothes lines are made or that of which fuel lines for model airplanes are made, may be used. Connected to the casing 8 at intervals therealong are burners 4. Each burner contains a deposit of platinum asbestos which is separated from the wick by a narrow air space. Just below the air space and separating it from the wick is a perforated plate which permits the fuel vapor to pass to the burner and at the same time keeps the wet wick separated from the platinumized asbestos. Running through the burners and in direct contact with the plati- States atent for example about four times the preferred size.

num asbestos is a wire 5 of the type which is used in electric heaters (for example Nichrome wire) which may be quickly heated red hot by the application of electric current. The wire, except the portions which pass through the burners, is non-resistant and should be covered with asbestos or other heat-resistant material.

This continuous wick, with its plurality of burners, may be wound back and forth throughout the clothing and stitched in or otherwise fastened to the inside of the clothing, thus distributing the burners over the different areas of the body. When it is desired to light up the burners, all of them may be ignited at the same time by connecting the terminals 6 and 7 of the wire 5 to the positive and negative poles of a small storage battery or wick, size of burners, and the amount of oxygen which is supplied to the burners. Twenty four hours of heat from all of the burners without refueling is a conservative possibility. It is believed that actual use will prove possible a much longer duration of heat. The tank or pouch may be refueled with safety while the burners are still on, provided caution is taken not to run the tank over.

Figs. 2 and 3 show details of the burners and their connections to the plastic material containing the wick. Fig. 2 shows a plan view of three representative burners of the system and their relationship to the wick, also air and waste tubes. The three burners shown are the first 4a, the last 4b, and an intermediate burner 40, of the system. In this figure the burners are shown comparatively large,

However the invention is not limited to any particular size of burner.

In Fig. 2 the wick 3 is shown contained within the plastic covering 8. This covering 8 is shown on each side of each burner and is shown broken (with the wick) between the burners. This covering 8 is attached on each side of each burner, to a metal pipe 13 which protrudes from the burners and through which the wick 3 also passes underneath the burner. The direction of the fuel flow in the wick is indicated by the arrows, the wick, as shown, ending at the point Z. The large mesh wire screens 12 (circular in shape like the burners) contain the platinumized asbestos 11 through which the Nichrome wire 5 passes, as shown. The tube 15, through which air is supplied to the burners for heat regulation, like the wick tube 13, passes through the outer cylindrical Walls 28 of the burners 4a4c, terminating in the burner 4b at the point Y. Tiny holes 17 permit air flow to all parts of the air space 40 surrounding the burner element 11 and I 12. The tube 15 comprises metal sections in the vicinity of the burner connected to plastic tube sections 18 between burners and a plastic end section B which extends to the air source. Similarly the waste tube 19 and 20 for removing CO2 gas and other impurities from the burners begins at the point W in burner 4a and continues through all burners, passing ultimately to some point outside of the clothing for removal of waste and moisture from the burners. Air from tube 15 and 18, after passing through holes 17 and surrounding the burner, is forced through the air and water-tight burner into the holes 21 in the tube 19 and 20. It is assumed here that the system is to operate under water in an emergency. However if the system is not required to be operable under water, then waste tube 19 and 20 may be eliminated. And if only:mild heat intensity is'required, air tube 15 and 18 ----may be-eliminated. In either of the latter cases -the burners are left open (uncapped).

, Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of a typical burner of the typeshown in'Fig. 2 disclosing details not shown in that figure. This burner, asshown, is wategtight; In a --system not required to be operable under water the watertight screw cap 26 a will be omitted. For underwater use; however,;the cap 26a withhandlezfi, by means of threads 25, screws into the upper part of-the outer burner -;wal l 28; making theburner water-tight. For out of water -use the cap 26a is-rem9ved and the circular perforated plate 24,which is pressed into positioninside the cylindrical-wail- 28,-permits'-air to -circuate to the burner; while w; preventing contacts that might-damage the burner element :5 LL-and 12. Ihe air supply tube ISpasses-through the burner in'a plane somewhat below the burner element 11 and-11 inorder topreyent the air fronrblowing directly on-saidelernent-f while; waste tube 19 is shown ina plane above (tor-clarity) that of the air-tube -15 but'no't-neces- --=sarily so; The inner cylindrical wall 29 of theburner is connected to the' circulapplate a, forming an-air-tight space 40 -aroundthe-burner element 11-; and llr This wall 'zfiextends upwardly halfway up the burner element u 11 and- 12: (allowing proper air circulation) also near -the-top oithewall 29 are slits 27-for allowing air to reach -L thdowenpart'of the-burner element I land 12;";T'he l burn'ert ielement 11 and 12- being circular and-watch shaped withrounded edges,- and of--;approximatelythe :same circumferences 'asthe cylindrical wall 29; rests-with- -..-in/upon the top of the wall 29. Flatspring strips 23 press-against the burner element 11 and 12,'holding it in .I:place. lThe' wick 3 in the area beneath the burner broadens-out into a circular shape in order to fully-cover -.:..-the: under side of the burner element 11- and 12 (see Fig. 2).: .'Separating the-wick 3 from theair space. 9 is the circular perforated-metal plate 10 through which the rvapor ifrom thetuel in wick passes, andoverwhichand -above.the-air space is a-deposite of platinumized asbestos '11-; .covered bythe large-mesh screen wire 12. The 5. Nichromeuwireai for igniting the burner is shown passing through: onne'xt to the platinumized asbestos. The NichromelwireS isinsulated atpointswhere itenters the outer wall 28 and the burner element 11 and 12.- This --.prevents unnecessary drag on the currentfrom theelectri- .;--.;lCa1. SOI1I'Ce2lT Theacylindricalwall 28. connects to-the cirocular bottom 22, making .theslower compartment of the burnerexternally air -and watertight.

Ifiift is.;desired to apply'this form of .theinvention to the; shoes of..-thei'ndividual,.it isonly necessary to-extend 113.4116 .wickrwithitsburners around the. shoe and attach to shoe.-by;m eans. of suitable: clips; or'a small separatetuel tank orpouch may be attached to.the rear 0111211611661 of the =shoe-.(or to the top of. the. shoe)..'with the .wick. and -r burnersgextended around the. shoe, thus forming an .llldependentunitfromthe clothing.

rAtflaplbimay beplaced on theoutside of..the clothing over ;eachburner,-making it accessible for extinguishing onwater Proofing; Burnerswa re extinguished; byputting the screw-capt,26a in place (Fig. 3) and cutting :oiithe air supply to theburners; Burners, are made waterproof -;byjputtinggthescrewcap 26a in place and may; be caused f V tolteep on operating by; continuing to supply air to the trimm In all applications of'the system, it will be necessary to v ;connect;. the Nichrome;wire 5 incircuitwith a small storage battery for ignition (unless other electrical source --such as the battery of an-automobile or jeepis-available).

Other materials than those suggested for various parts of the invention in any of its forms may be used Without 5 departing from its scope since these are disclosed merely by way of example.

Also other shapes and sizes may be given to the burners disclosed above. This istruealso of the pouches for containing thefuel, such forexarnple as havingthe fuel pouch 10 to cover the entire area of the clothing instead of being ribbon like and merelydistributed through the clothing. Any modification of this part may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

15 1. In a personal heating system, the combination of a plurality of independently disposed serially connected burner elements for placement about the person to supply heat thereto each of said burner element's comprising a --deposit of non-inflammableporous catalytic material, a

closedtuel-containeradapted toreceive a supply of; liquid evaporating fuel and provided with wwiclt which wick is connected serially 'toeach of said; burner elements, a flexible non-poroustube between said; f-uel container and -the-first of said burner elements and; between each of the burner'elements tollowingsaidfirst burner element and adapted to encase said wick a-n air conductor adapted to beconnected to a source of airoandserially to said xhburner elements, said air-conductor beingllexibleand non-porous between said air source and -the-first of said burner elements and between each of-the burner elements LfolloWing saidfirstburner element and-adapted to permit .air tolfeed into each of said burner elements in the region of said burner element .onlyforregulating and supporting combustion ofsaid fuel incach of said. burners when said burners are .supplied.:with ,said .liquid evaporating fuel .tromsaidfuel container bymea'ns of saidrwick,- anelectrical circuit in contact only with each of said deposits of 1,5? ,porouscatalytic material. and .operatively associated with aisource .of.electrical-energy for placementon the person 40 andasupplyingwhen, reduiredsaidelectrical circuitwith .electrical'energy byclosing said circuit for. providing heat by electrical resistance to the points of contact ofsaid liquid. evaporating fuelwiththe .said. deposits -of,.porous catalytic material, for the purpose ofstarting the generahti0n 0f-.,heat;simultaneously at all:of..the. said .points of .;contact.

Beferences; Cited in the tile of-this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 9 2,527 I .Batter Feb. 176, 1909 a 41,227,566 Ayling May 29;,1917 11,347,631 Herck July 27, 1920 "1,948,298 Howard Feb. 20,. 1934 84,852 pSchmitt .4 Sept. 18; 1945 2,652,824 7 Hopp Sept..22, 1953 

